


Against the World

by Lucicelo



Category: Junjou Romantica
Genre: Affection, Drama, Established Relationship, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Romance, Suspense, Thriller, Zombie AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:41:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24502534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucicelo/pseuds/Lucicelo
Summary: Hiroki and Nowaki's relaxing time at a spa ends at the discovery of the end of the world.
Relationships: Kamijou Hiroki/Kusama Nowaki
Kudos: 11





	Against the World

**Author's Note:**

> I had this in the works in February 2019 and I didn't finish it until now. I never wrote a zombie AU for this pairing and I was like...eh why the hell not. This was a result of watching a ton of zombie movies, good or bad.
> 
> Please enjoy.
> 
> -Lucicelo

Pushing his cap up with his pointer finger, Hiroki kept a good grip on his gun while keeping an eye on his surroundings. Even with his cracked glasses, he made sure to keep constant vigilance to make up for his failing sight. In different points throughout the commune, people of all ages did their hours. No one was exempt from duty except for children under thirteen, the impaired, and those with disabilities. He made the cut due to having glasses that were in _workable_ condition. Otherwise, he would be put in handling the commune's produce. He didn't mind getting his hands dirty, so he might just break his glasses on _accident._

Glancing down his at his wedding - no - engagement ring, he thought of Nowaki in the safe confines of the sick ward. As one of the few doctors who made it into the commune, Nowaki did less hours in guarding to retain availability in case someone became ill. Hiroki prefered to have Nowaki far away from the action. Nowaki had the stomach to cure patients, but didn't have the heart to shoot them unless he had to do it.

Days after the apocalypse started, Nowaki broke his code of ethics. One of the undead almost grabbed Hiroki from behind before Nowaki slammed his bat into the man's face. A few more hits and the zombie ended up in a twitching mess. Nowaki sobbed into Hiroki's chest once they felt themselves safe inside of a barn. Hiroki soothed Nowaki for that night and resumed their journey for a semi permanent place to stay.

A gunshot made Hiroki jump in place.

Hiroki _still_ jumped over the constant sounds of gunshots.

Peering toward the direction of the noise, he noticed a new headless body at the borders of the gates. He connected eyes with the shooter, an old man with a scragly beard who lost his wife to the undead. The sterness and no nonsense attitude reminded him of his father. He nodded to the man before looking in his own sector.

He didn't dare fall into the illusion that his parents were _alive._ Tokyo became overrun with the undead and the disease spread without any pause. Multiple safe districts became hot spots for the undead rather quickly. Even though his parents lived in a gated community, he knew people would tresspass in order to stay away from the undead. The last time he called his parents, they told him they loved him and they would see them on the other side.

At the end of that call, he knew his parents killed each other.

An hour of inaction passed before Hiroki was relieved of his post. He handed the young lady, a high school aged girl, his gun. Her once long hair was cut short for easier management. He remembered her coming in with her older brothers, but not their parents. Their parents died in an ambush and used themselves as bait to give their children a chance to flee.

This was one of the many stories the teens and kids told the superiors. Their parents sacrificed themselves for their children.

Leaving the area, he hurried through the halls toward the medical bay. He dodged different people who went on their jobs or kids playing around in the area. Waving at some people he got to know thorugh the rare can of beer, he didn't linger around for conversation.

He needed to see Nowaki.

The moment he walked past the threshold, Kana, the main nurse, beamed at him. "Kamijou-san, you're done with your hours?"

Hiroki nodded his head. "Yeah, Kimiko switched with me. For once, I'm free to have lunch and not get the leftovers. Is Nowaki...?"

Kana nodded her head. "He's finishing inventory before handing the shift to the next doctor on staff. There might be a mission to a hospital because we are running low on antibiotics. A lot of people are insisting on antibiotics when simple remedies will do for a cold."

Talk of leaving the compound made Hiroki freeze. "Do you think Nowaki will go along with them? Knowing his selfless ass, he would try to volunteer."

Kana shrugged her shoulders before pulling her hair into a small ponytail. "Medical staff stays here at all times. None of us can handle close combat and many of us still hold our ethics in medicine."

Hiroki let out a sigh of relief. "Enough talk of that, how long do you have on shift?"

"Technically, two hours, but," Kana sighed. "Medical personnel are _always_ on radio call." She motioned to the radio on the band of her jeans. "Sucks ass."

Hiroki tried hard not to laugh from remembering the last time Kana was interrupted. She was in the middle of a towel bath when the radio turned on. The head doctor demanded her to stop everything and run to the main sick bay. She only pulled up her pajama pants and ran without a shirt on. Nowaki pulled one of his shirts on her before anymore people in the area saw her topless.

Nowaki appeared beyond the grey sheets used as privacy curtains with a groan. "Okay...so, we're set on bandages for the next-" Nowaki noticed Hiroki's presence and he grinned. "Hiro-san!"

When Nowaki almost ran into Hiroki's arms, Kana put her hands up and walked past the curtains. "I'll get the rest of the report from the head doc. I'll leave you two to your reunion."

Once she passed the curtains, Nowaki stopped before Hiroki with a spring in his step. "I'm free for the rest of the day."  
Pulling him into a kiss, Hiroki muttered into his lips. "Are you sure? Your radio can go off at anytime."

Nowaki wrapped his arms around Hiroki to inquire, "I mean...we can always cuddle outside. There is a nice spot near the farmers area where we can relax on the grass. Extra privacy."

Hiroki hid his smile through pressing his forehead against Nowaki's chest. "Make it a lunch date with cuddling and you have yourself a deal."

Nowaki's beaming smile still made Hiroki's heart race.

* * *

Nights were spent on a double wide futon that managed to cover Nowaki's large frame. There was an option for another futon, but Hiroki gave it to another person without a second thought. They needed to touch one another to make sure they were still alive. After weeks of uncertainty, the utter relief of a possible safe haven didn't calm down their anxieties. The feeling of their shared heat and hearing their heart beats did.

The small room provided enough area space for their bed, a wardrobe, a low rise desk, and minute decorations. Surprisingly, Nowaki didn't bang his head on the doorway every time he walked through it. Although, he hunched his head on instinct due to the abundance of lower doorways and ceilings whenever they went out.

Nowaki became the human pillow. An easy choice since Nowaki's weight would crush Hiroki during the night. His weight was welcomed during sex, but not when Hiroki tried to sleep. They interlaced their hands before falling to sleep, but not before sharing a kiss.

The reveal of their relationship happened when they shared their bedroom and joined their futons. They arrived with a group of uninfected people and claimed one another as familiar. Many thought their close friendship was _admirable_. When the epidemic happened, friends and family turned on one another in order to survive. The fact they remained close was lucky.

Any negative reactions were left unsaid once the community saw their commitment to work. Nowaki spent countless hours in the sick ward, while Hiroki went through different sectors to provide help. As private people, they didn't showcase their relationship in front of others. Hiroki despised PDA and Nowaki enjoyed keeping Hiroki's expressions to himself. As far as people knew, they held hands more often than _hugged_ or even _kissed_.

There were other couples in the group who pawed each other, almost desperate in their attempts to bite each others mouths off. A poor imitation of how the undead would bite the faces of the living. Back in their normal lives, no one found their actions attractive or respectable.

Hiroki bit into his tongue before he commented on their shameless behavior. He didn't have to. Many of the parents intervened and shot their complaints to the leaders of the compound. These couples ended up in separate job positions which kept them busy. If they had free time to kiss, their time was better used in work.

The day Nowaki almost got bit from a missed undead was the night Hiroki pulled him into their room for a night of passion.

* * *

_When the outbreak hit, Hiroki and Nowaki spent the weekend at a spa resort that Nowaki received as a thank you gift from a patient. With the assurance none of their jobs would slam them with calls they turned off their phones. Throughout that weekend, they participated in all the spa activities and forgot about their jobs. Hiroki enjoyed the hot springs that permitted him to drink copious amount of beer._

_With limited access to the news, they didn't know the extent of the outbreak until they noticed people scrambling to call their loved ones through their phones. Others tried getting into their room to use their phone due to their room phones being in use. Hiroki grabbed Nowaki before he went to open the door. He thought the people on the other side of the door were drunk. Nowaki tried to check the door, but Hiroki pulled him into a deep kiss to distract him._

_The moment Hiroki stopped their make out session, the panic induced noise stopped._ _They continued on heavy petting and grinding on one another until completion. In their afterglow, Hiroki and Nowaki managed to lift themselves out of bed to take a shower. Once they scrubbed themselves down, Nowaki left the bathroom to order room service. Hiroki stayed an extra ten minutes to relax and wash his hair._

_Hiroki toweled himself off real fast and placed the towel on his shoulders. He walked out of the bathroom without a towel covering his lower half. Nowaki more than enough of him to warrant having to cover himself up. Seeing the door open, he paused in place as Nowaki thanked the delivery staff for their dinner._

_Hiroki's stomach grumbled. "Damn, I'm hungry."_

_Nowaki chuckled as he went to their table. "Well, we worked ourselves into an appetite."_

_Hiroki beelined to the food and served himself a cup of tea. He grabbed his plate, Nowaki knew what to order him, and walked to the bed. Settling himself on the bed, he grabbed the remote from the table and turned on_ _the TV. Hiroki slurped his tea while Nowaki slipped onto the bed with his tray of food. Before them, the news spoke about the illness that spread through their country._

_Hiroki nibbled on his food before he asked. "Didn't you say that people were cured from whatever was going on?"_

_Nowaki worried his lower lip. "Yes, the other residents assured me everything was fine before I left for this weekend." He saw the numerous infected people with sores on their exposed flesh. Many people ended up dying during his watch, and he still felt guilty for not being able to help them. "Tsumori got bit by one of these patients and got sick alongside them."_

_Hiroki winced. "I might not like the guy, but from the looks of these people, they're suffering. I can almost feel the pain from just looking at them. So...the fluids are what get people sick?"_

_"Yeah." Nowaki sipped his warm milk. "I ended up in two masks, a plastic viser, gloves, and a whole scrub suit to tend to the children. The hospital went overboard on the precautions, but I didn't want to get sick alongside Tsumori-senpai. Last I heard, he was interned alongside the patients because the symptoms got bad."_

_Hiroki winced in sympathy. "Damn...do you think this will go away? I don't want my parents to get it."_

_Nowaki worried his lower lip. "I'm not sure. I need a positive message from my superior to make sure." He pressed a kiss on Hiroki's cheek. "I don't want to make assumptions and have you worry during our mini vacation."_

_Hiroki scoffed. "Thanks for not lying."_

_'In compliance with the government, we are issuing a blockade surrounding these main provinces-'_

_A large list of provinces, including their own showed up on screen._

_Hiroki grumbled. "Well, **fuck us**."_

_Nowaki sighed. "Good thing we brought a few sets of clothing with us and my first aid kit."_

_Hiroki nudged Nowaki with an amused smile. "A first aid kit?"_

_Nowaki pouted. "You never know! It never hurts to be careful."_

_"Pff. I guess. I would be surprised if you didn't carry bandages in your pockets." Hiroki switched the channel to a comedy. "You don't mind this one right?"_

_Nowaki cuddled closer to Hiroki as he kept on eating. "Nope."_

* * *

_The next morning, Hiroki tried ordering room service and heard a busy phone line. He hung up the phone before redialing. The same result happened. "That's odd." He looked toward Nowaki and noticed him changing into his new clothes. "The line's busy."_

_Buttoning his pants, Nowaki turned to him in confusion. "I didn't think so many people ordered food this early in the morning." Putting on his shirt, he_ _checked his reflection in the mirror. "We can always try again in a little bit."_

_Hiroki hung up the phone with a sigh. Ruffling his own fringe, he thought of other options. "I can always leave the spa and grab something from a convenience store. There should be one somewhere around here. What do you think?"_

_Nowaki used the mirror to look at Hiroki as he smoothed down his shirt. "Hiro-san, do you even know your way around this area?"_

_Hiroki huffed. "Fine. I'll go to the front desk then." He went to Nowaki's side and kissed his cheek. "If they are not busy, do you want me to order the morning special?"  
_

_Nowaki returned the kiss before he answered. "Yup! With black tea, please."_

_Hiroki nodded his head before he returned to the side table to grab his key card. Leaving his cellphone and wallet behind, he put on his slippers and left the room. Having remembered the path to the front desk, he lost himself in his thoughts over the activities for the day. Nowaki wanted to try out a partners massages with a sauna addition. On the previous day, they went into different onsen until they became wrinkly._

_Hiroki might have to check what else the spa offered. This was the time to pamper himself. Before the day ended, they had to get on the train back to Tokyo. Best to enjoy everything before work slammed them in the face._

_As he turned the corner, an overwhelming smell of blood reached his nose. Hiroki focused on the source and froze._

_In front of him, stood a man with glazed eyes, biting into intestines. Checking the surrounding area, Hiroki saw the blood splatter trickling down the walls and the dead bodies on the ground. The loud sounds of munching made Hiroki sick to his stomach._

_Forcing a backwards step, he kept his eyes on the killer for any sudden movements. His heart raced and his blood pumped against his ears._

_All of a sudden. the man turned to look straight into his eyes._

_Muttering a quick swear, Hiroki turned away from the killer and ran back to his room. Due to lack of mobility, Hiroki abandoned his slippers and went full speed. Yanking out his key card, he held it tight in his hand as he got closer to his room. He didn't make a complete stop before he swiped down the card. At the sound of the beep, Hiroki opened the door and went inside. He closed the door fast._

_Locking the door, Hiroki backed away slowly. He made sure not to produce extra noise as he kept an eye on the door. The person outside didn't run down the hall or made loud noises. It was odd. He was certain his footsteps alone would have caught the man's attention._

_Nowaki looked up from his position on the bed and noticed Hiroki's fast return. Hooking his legs over the bed, he got up and went around their bed. "Hiro-san? What happened?"_

_Hiroki muttered. "There's a killer running around in the spa."_

_Nowaki got closer to him and placed his hands on his shoulders. "Are you sure?"_

_"I saw him when I turned around the corner. He's covered in blood with guts in his mouth. There were a lot of dead bodies on the floor. He didn't see me before I ran back here." Nowaki rubbed their faces together making it easier for him to whisper. "We have to get out of here. Then, we'll call the police."_

_Nowaki whispered back. "I think there's a way out through the onsen. The fences are not that high and our bags won't slow us down."_

_"We might as well grab the spa's free items."_

_Nowaki's lips quirked into a smile. "Hiro-san, it's not like the stores will be closed._ _"_

_Hiroki huffed out. "You never know. We can grab them while we go through the washing station."_

_"Yes, dear." Nowaki chuckled softly._

* * *

Nowaki stood behind Hiroki while he cut his hair. He remembered doing his own hair to cut back on the cost of going to a barber as a teenager. His semi decent skills helped keep Hiroki's hair from growing past his shoulders. As he ran his fingers through his hair, he saw strands of grey hair hidden behind Hiroki's bangs. They were sprinkled on his temples. Nowaki found them rather sexy and gave Hiroki a mature look.

After a few years at the commune, Hiroki forgone the slight fear of growing old. He didn't even mind finding silver hair. This meant that they survived past their ordeal. Despite the uncertainty of their new life, they had one another to support each other. They might life up to an old age.

Hiroki rubbed his palms with his calloused hands as he broke the silence. "Do you ever think what if?"

Nowaki paused in his snips before he responded. "What if?"

Hiroki peeked over his shoulder and locked eyes with Nowaki. "What if this never happened? Do you ever think we would have gotten married overseas?"

Nowaki chuckled as he placed the scissors on their nightstand. "We were too busy with our jobs to ever think of planning a destination wedding. Although," He pressed a kiss on the top of Hiroki's head. "We could exchange vows and it becomes a lifelong promise."

"True."

"I don't mind being Kamijou Nowaki." Nowaki reached his arms around Hiroki and held him close. "In the professional sphere, I would still be addressed as Dr. Kusama. The paperwork to change everything isn't worth it in my opinion. I heard it's a hassle having to sign multiple papers and chance legal documents. I still wanted to do it though."

Hiroki placed his hands on Nowaki's forearms with a sigh. "It doesn't matter if you change your last name to mine. You are the one who made a name of yourself with Kusama. Changing it to mine just seems ridiculous because you made yourself with your name."

"Hmm..." Nowaki placed his cheek against the top of Hiroki's head. "Say it."

Hiroki blushed as he faced forward. "Why? No one else would call you with that-"

"Please." Nowaki insisted. "I want...I want to have one person say it to me."

Hiroki gulped before he said. "Kamijou Nowaki."

Nowaki tightened his grip around him. "It sounds...far better than I could have hoped."

* * *

As Nowaki folded their laundry, Hiroki appeared into their room with another dried load of clothing. Shutting their door closed with his foot, he was relieved to see their futon on the floor. Earlier in the morning, Nowaki aired out their futon, which left their clothes to dry outside.

After they finished rearranging their clothes, Hiroki knew he was going to sleep for the afternoon. He did his morning guard duty and he deserved a good nap for his troubles.

According to their schedule, their part of the housing area washed their laundry and aired out their futon on a Saturday. Considering the higher ups kept a consistent calendar, they created a cheap version to place on their sector's bulletin board.

Despite his random schedule, Nowaki made sure to keep track of their calendar. On certain days, he reminded Hiroki about fresh water for their room or prepare for laundry day. Hiroki took everything in stride. He tended to keep to himself outside of guard duty and lost track of the days. More than ever, he lost himself in his books. The books that people collected on raids were kept in a library that he visited once a week.

Hiroki placed the basket on the floor before he picked up piles of clothes from their futon. He went to their drawers and put them away in their proper places. If they didn't keep a decent method of organization, they mixed up their clothing more often than desired. Their lack of space made it impossible for them to separate their possessions properly.

As Nowaki created more piles of folded clothes, Hiroki collected them and put them away. Noticing their shoes got in the way of space, Hiroki rearranged their shoe collection onto the floor. He placed Nowaki's larger shoes on one section before he moved his own around.

Placing a shirt back in the basket, Nowaki broke their shared silence. "Hiro-san?"

"Yeah?" Hiroki shoved his borrowed books onto the top of the dresser. He didn't need to trip over them. "Did I forget something?"

Nowaki answered. "Nothing." He looked at Hiroki's back with a longing gaze. "I think I have some time to spare this afternoon. The medical bay has been _silent_ all day. We're almost done with laundry day and... we haven't... you know..."

Hiroki snapped his head toward Nowaki with fire in his eyes. "Don't play with me, Nowaki. Last time, you jinxed us after you promised me a good time. You left me to deal with it myself and you doused yourself in water to soften yourself before you left."

Nowaki chuckled. "There haven't been any accidents in _weeks._ I'm sure no one will need me right now. Today is laundry day after all."

Hiroki scoffed. "That's what _I_ said _last month."_

Nowaki and Hiroki stared at one another.

Wasting no time, Hiroki and Nowaki got up on their feet. They stalked toward the other, meeting in the middle, with arms stretched out. As they closed their arms around one another, they met in a desperate kiss. They didn't linger in light pecks, their mouths opened to mold together.

Breaking their breathtaking kiss, Hiroki and Nowaki managed to get down to their futon without tripping over one another. Before Hiroki laid back, he removed his shirt and tossed it aside. He kissed Nowaki while he helped him unbutton his shirt. He ended up doing most of the unbuttoning since Nowaki began fondling Hiroki's exposed chest with eager hands.

They didn't have the luxury to remove _every_ article of clothing. There were times where Hiroki remained in his shirt while Nowaki pushed down his own jeans and underwear to release his cock. Hiroki quickly prepared himself with his fingers before Nowaki pushed himself inside.

The lack of romance didn't deter them from continuing their quickies. Those fleeting moments of joined physical connection _distracted_ them from the reality of their new home.

When their eyes closed, their memories transported them back to their soft and large bed. They imagined the smell of the clean linen freshener plug in that Nowaki bought on a whim. The easy access of their usual lubrication and condoms were at arms reach.

No matter how long they stayed in the compound, it _never_ felt like home. Sleeping in each others arms helped give them a sense of normality.

They were each others home.

Hiroki arched his back as Nowaki pinched and sucked his nipples. His hands reached out, touching Nowaki's hair and pulling at certain sections. Nowaki's growl made Hiroki _shiver_ in delight. Ever since Hiroki found out about Nowaki's little quirk, he exposed it whenever they made out.

Nowaki moved a hand in between them to push down his sweat pants and underwear to release the pressure on his cock. Hiroki hurried to do the same before Nowaki rutted against him.

Nowaki got off of Hiroki to grab lubricant from their drawer. He managed to snag a tube from the supply cabinet during one of his shifts. Hastily taking off the cap, he poured some on his hand before he lubed up his cock. He added more on his fingers before he turned back to Hiroki. Nowaki wasted no time in getting back on Hiroki.

He peppered kisses along Hiroki's neck as he pushed the first finger into his hole. Taking his time, he added another finger and listened to Hiroki for any protests. Hiroki egged him on to continue with a blissful smile on his face. Nowaki used his free hand to pump Hiroki's dick, making him groan out loud.

In retaliation, Hiroki tweaked Nowaki's nipples and smirked when Nowaki gasped out. He tried kissing any visible skin as Nowaki kept preparing him. He remembered the last occasion they rushed this aspect and the soreness wasn't the well fucked sort.

Nowaki removed his fingers and guided his cock to Hiroki's hole. Hiroki reached around Nowaki and kneaded his ass to pull him clsoe. As Nowaki pushed himself inside, Hiroki gasped out loud. The act was slow and deliberate. He felt every inch of Nowaki's dick.

Nowaki started thrusting at a slow rhythm. Hiroki's legs locked around his hips, keeping him from pulling out too far. Not that he wanted to. He kept on thrusting while keeping his whole weight off of Hiroki.

A sudden beep and static noise caused Nowaki to pause in mid thrust.

Nowaki's radio turned into the worst _cockblock._

**Medical Bay to Kusama- over.**

Hiroki dug his fingers into Nowaki's hair and _pulled._ Nowaki growled into his neck before biting his shoulder with a hasty thrust. "Try answering. I-I think we can- _finish."_

Nowaki frantically snatched up at the radio and pressed the button. He managed to even out his voice when he answered. "Kusama - Over." He released the button before he resumed thrusting. "Why a-are they calling _now?_ You're right. I am a jinx!"

Hiroki pressed their lips together before he answered. "They have _shit_ timing." He removed his fingers from Nowaki's hair and moved them underneath his shirt. Digging his fingers into Nowaki's back, he made sure to leave red lines behind.

**Medical Bay requires your assistance, Kusama - Over.**

Nowaki whined before grabbing the radio again. "On my way - Over." He threw the radio away from his sight and grabbed Hiroki's cock. He rubbed it in timing with his thrusts. A few thrusts later, Hiroki orgasmed with a grunt. Digging his fingers into Nowaki's back, his hole twitched in succession making Nowaki come.

They didn't have time to bask in the afterglow as Nowaki pulled himself out. With shaky breaths, he got up on his feet and staggered to their water jug. He grabbed two of their smaller towels and crouched in front of the jug. Dampening them up, he turned to the side to the toss one of them toward Hiroki. Hiroki caught it without issue. Nowaki cleaned himself up before he zipped up his pants.

Hiroki laid back on the futon with an annoyed sigh. Of course, he wasn't annoyed at _Nowaki._ The medical bay tended to interrupt their staff in during the worst moments. Considering the head doctor practically _lived_ in the medical bay, it made sense that he didn't have reservations in calling for his staff.

The radio turned on again to call for Kana and another nurse named Himura.

Nowaki swore under his breath before he grabbed slipped on his boots.

Hiroki cleaning his chest with a grimace. His body shivered from the air slipping through the cracks in the walls to brush against his wet skin. He missed having easy access to a nearby restroom.

Nowaki's voice took on a dark tone when he said. "If this is about someone shooting themselves on the foot _again,_ I'm drowning the wound in hydrogen peroxide." He snatched his radio and stalked out of the room with an unbuttoned shirt.

Snorting in amusement, Hiroki resumed cleaning himself. "Yeah right. He's too nice to actually hurt someone."

* * *

Nowaki returned an hour later with a sour puckered pout.

Hiroki relaxed on their futon with an amused chuckle. "Another gunshot wound?" He noticed that Nowaki changed into a different shirt. _"Damn._ Looks like it was a bloody one too."

 _"Another_ gunshot wound. And the idiot kept complaining about the _pain._ I hate to pinpoint blame, but this was all _his_ fault. He didn't have the safety on when he was transferring the weapon." Nowaki shut their door behind him with a slam. "This is his _third_ self inflected wound."

Hiroki grimaced. "Your head doctor hasn't reported his ass yet? He could have shot someone else because of his stupidity. The last careless person got moved into the kitchens due to almost shooting the head commander."

"The doctor meeting with the higher ups right now." Nowaki placed the radio beside him when he laid down beside Hiroki. "He told me to come back because they didn't need me there. Besides, I'll hear what happened to him tomorrow." He snuggled against Hiroki with a huff. "I almost dumped the peroxide on him too."

Hiroki wrapped his arms around Nowaki's body and hooked a leg over him. "Don't kid yourself. You are not the type to cause pain on purpose."

"I would have!"

Hiroki rolled his eyes. _"Sure."_ He tipped the radio over with his foot before he said. "Do you think you can squeeze in a quick nap?"

Nowaki nuzzled his face against Hiroki's chest and got comfortable. "Yeah..."

* * *

_Nowaki yanked Hiroki into an empty alley as a group of people passed them on their rampage on the undead. They heard the hooting and hollering after someone landed a hit or **killed** one. The previous silence of the night disappeared from their actions. More of the undead scoured out of their hiding spots and more sounds of fighting occurred. _

_Nowaki shielded Hiroki with his body as he looked around the area. Since those people made those loud noises, he knew there were still some of the undead hiding in plain sight. He had to keep his guard up in order for them to stay safe._ _After some close calls, Nowaki dedicated himself as the main person to carry their weapon. Hiroki remained as the last resort to their supplies._

_In the beginning of their journey, Nowaki and Hiroki learned about their new world. A world of undead wandered throughout the streets of Japan. Multiple people died from the illness and **returned.** _ _Somehow, they managed to navigate through the countryside and avoided anyone who might do them harm._ _It helped that Nowaki's large built deterred anyone from making any obvious threats._

_Keeping a hand on Nowaki's chest, Hiroki breathed through his nose. He learned to tune out the rambunctious people in order to keep an extra ear out for anything strange. Nowaki's blind spots were his focal points. Best to keep an extra eye out to lessen Nowaki's stress._

_A rustling bush caught Hiroki's attention. He kept checking up on it while he observed other areas. Hiroki didn't now if it was an animal or an undead._

_All of a sudden, a decaying man with a large chunk of his face bitten off, jumped out of the bushes._

_"Look out!" Hiroki snapped. "To your left!"_

_Nowaki snapped his head to the left and saw the undead man running toward them._ _Swinging the bat, Nowaki made contact with the man's torso. The undead man fell onto the ground with a toneless groan. It got back up and charged at Nowaki. Nowaki shoved Hiroki away from him and avoided a bite to his arm._

_The undead kept on coming after Nowaki despite being hit a number of times. Nowaki hesitated in landing hard hits. Instead, Nowaki dodged him and used his bat to keep the undead from biting him._

_Hiroki watched in horror as the undead got close enough to tear Nowaki's sleeve. "Damn it, Nowaki, hit him!"_

_"I-I-" Nowaki gulped before hitting the guy again, but the bat hit the undead on the head. The zombie fell onto the ground in a thud._

_When he tried to get back up, Nowaki slammed his bat down onto the head of the undead. Losing himself in the unrelenting panic, Nowaki kept on hitting him. Even if the body didn't move anymore, Nowaki kept on hitting the head with enough force to break the skull open._

_Hiroki raised his voice. "Nowaki! It's dead!"_

_Nowaki paused in place._

_The bat fell out of Nowaki's quivering hands as he looked down at the mangled corpse at his feet. Nowaki backed away until his back hit the wall of the building. He let out a whimper before he crouched on the ground and broke into tears._

_Hiroki hurried to Nowaki's side and cradled him in his arms. "Nowaki… you had to save us."_

_"I-I know." Nowaki hiccupped. "B-but, I'm a **doctor.** I **swore** to treat my p-patients-"_

_Hiroki ran his fingers through Nowaki's hair and kissed the top of his head. "I get it. Just let it all out. Do you want me to hold onto the bat for a while?" Nowaki shook his head and muttered a no. "We can stay here as long as we are able to. I think those people managed to lure the undead toward the other side of town."  
_

_Hiroki kept hyper vigilance of their surroundings as Nowaki heaved in gulps of air. Nowaki kept a tight grip on him as he released his emotional turmoil._

* * *

After the transfer of Nowaki's patient, everyone in the lineup was evaluated for further duty. As a result, different people were transferred from guard duty. The scramble of new people caused the usual orderly operation to turn into _chaos._

Nowaki became a full time medic.

Hiroki was one of the lucky people who went into the agriculture department.

Despite his city boy upbringing, Hiroki didn't mind getting his hands dirty. He went to his grandfather's home in the summers and listened to his lessons. Having gotten a newspaper to the ass far too many times, Hiroki remembered _everything_ about farming.

His late grandfather, who used to own a melon and peach orchard, taught his family the old fashioned way to keep plants alive. Many of his grandfather's children used these methods for their little gardens and passed them onto their kids. No pesticides. Nothing complicated. Simple recipes to keep slugs and other pests from eating their sprouts. This way, the artificial taste didn't stick to the produce.

Hiroki's teaching skills came in handy when he taught people better ways to provide a better harvest. Their head of agriculture, an old man named Takei, listened to Hiroki's suggestions and added some of his ideas to their repertoire. Hiroki's knowledge helped rise him up the ranks from the hobby gardeners who handled low maintenance plants.

Hiroki wiped the sweat from his brow before he sat back on his haunches. Looking at his section of the garden, a majority of the produce was ready for harvest. The due diligence of Hiroki and the head of the agriculture section made the garden _flourish_.

Grabbing his dinged up water bottle, Hiroki uncapped it before swallowing large gulps of water. He wiped his mouth before using his arm to dry his forehead. Afterwards, he checked up on the surrounding patches of vegetables and fruit and noticed a teen half-hazardly yanking out any green leaves from the ground.

Hiroki yelled out. _"Hey! Yamaguchi!_ I said to pull _weeds!_ Those are saplings you dumbass!"

Yamaguchi snapped his head toward him with a sheepish smile. "Sorry, Kamijou! They all look the same to me." Nearby workers kept a better eye on what they grabbed before they received the _Kamijou glare._

"I have glasses and I look better than you!" Hiroki dug his shovel into the ground. "Don't make me call old man Takei. He's _one_ whistle away!"

When they heard the name Takei, the younger people returned back to work. Hiroki heard more than enough of those kids receiving a lecture from the old guy. Takei grew up in farmlands and didn't take _any_ bullshit. The sort of older man who _commanded_ respect and no nonsense.

The older people shrugged their shoulders and tended to their crops. Even the ones who were from the city, learned to handle their crops without assistance.

Hiroki breathed through his nose before he went back to inspecting his areas.

* * *

Years of delicate prosperity didn't stop the persistent talk of _repopulation._

As one of the main doctors, Nowaki overheard different coworkers receive offers of creating a child. He assumed his public status of a married gay man kept him from the fray. Even if Japan didn't accept gay marriage, he didn't need a piece of paper to validate his relationship. His in-laws accepted him and Hiroki wore his ring without hesitations. That was all that mattered..

Not that it stopped the older traditionalists from attempting to _sway_ him toward a _female_ relative. Due to his polite nature, he humored them, to an extent. After he brought up his late in laws approval of their relationship that shut them down _fast._

Not that it stopped their silence for long.

Anytime a couple or an unattached woman birthed a baby, celebrations roared for _days._ It didn't matter if someone didn't know these people, they needed to celebrate the gift of _life._ Any unattached man and woman, even those in gay relationships, were pushed into _baby making_.

It didn't help that additional new survivors arrived to the compound. New prime pickings to match onto unsuspecting adults with nosey older relatives. Of course, these people were sectioned off for a week in case someone died and returned as the undead.

Whenever Hiroki returned from his rounds, Hiroki collapsed into Nowaki's arms in exhaustion. He complained about having to expand their agriculture area because of these new mouths to feed. Although, this meant that new people were sent to agriculture and the kitchens to help the surge of people. They needed to spend time overseeing these people on their rules before they returned to their crops.

Nowaki met every single one of these new inhabitants from the physical exams. He tried keeping communication open to lessen the awkwardness. Many of the men joked about being fondled by a man and winked at the female medical staff. Nowaki smiled, but didn't laugh along with them. He didn't need someone reporting him over misconduct. Being an open gay man had its drawbacks.

As he finished his examinations, a young lady made her way into his tent. Kana readied herself to shoo this girl away when the one other female doctor rushed in. They shared a looked before the doctor tried pulling this woman away, but she _insisted_ on staying.

 _"No!_ I want a male doctor to examine me." The young woman harrumphed. "See! There's one here. He can examine me."

Doctor Tachibana sighed. "Listen, miss, we do these gender specific inspections on purpose. We don't need someone to accuse the doctors of misconduct. I am just as capable as the other staff members."

Kana jumped in. "Doctor Kusama's shift is over anyways." She looked toward Nowaki. "Isn't that right, doctor?"

Nowaki backed up Kana's claims. "As Nurse Narita said, I am done for today." He looked at the young lady and smiled. "The head doctor is always available to examine you if you prefer a male doctor."

The insistent woman pouted. "Can I come tomorrow instead? When do you work?"

Nowaki felt his smile twitch. "My apologies, I will inform the head doctor that you prefer a male doctor. I will be right back." He backed out of the tent as the young woman screamed for him to return. Kana remained in the tent to remain as a witness to Doctor Tachibana's examination.

When he informed the head doctor of this woman, the man rolled his eyes before he picked up his medical kit. Nowaki hung up his own doctor's coat on the coat rack before he washed up. Rushing away from the medical bay, he went straight to the cafeteria. Getting in line, he spoke to different people on the line and hoped she wouldn't track him down. Those exams took a while to complete.

To his luck, she didn't pop out of nowhere. He left the cafeteria to enjoy lunch with Hiroki in the fields. The fresh air did wonders in relaxing him.

She tracked him down the next day.

Nowaki was helping an elderly couple carry their jugs of water to their room. The elderly couple thanked him profusely and Nowaki reassured them it was alright. It was his day off, but he offered his services to different people in his sector.

The young woman from the examinations bumped into him when he returned from the water purifying area. He breathed through his nose and hoped she didn't stick around for long. Her general attitude in wanting a male doctor blared his alarm bells. Most women preferred a _female_ doctor examining their body. A male doctor was fine for injuries, sickness, or any other medical inquiries. A f _ull body exam_ was out of question.

She stopped at his side with a beaming smile. As she fluttered her lashes, she called herself Yuriko. When she attempted to touch his arm, Nowaki backed away a bit and motioned to the jugs he carried. Maneuvering his left hand, he showed off his ring finger. She looked at it for a moment before she continued.

He entertained her for a bit longer before he excused himself. He saw her annoyed face at his escape, but she didn't run after him.

When he dropped off the water jugs, he returned to his room with his mind running wild. He couldn't believe someone targeted _him_ for a relationship. Despite the fact he flashed his wedding ring, Yuriko _wasn't_ deterred. In fact, she looked _determined_ to gain his attention. She was pretty, but he _wasn't_ interested.

On his next shift, he told the medical staff and they groaned out loud. All of them shared similar experiences and patted his back with sympathy. They understood the hassling of people who wanted to marry into a higher status. Even before the undead tore their world apart, they experienced status climbers and swiftly rejected them.

Nowaki's luck in avoiding these sort of people ran out.

Nowaki turned her down whenever she insisted on having dinner with him. He wasn't impolite. It wasn't in his nature. He showed off his wedding ring, the one important possession in his life. She assumed his _wife_ died in the apocalypse and she was willing to _fill_ the role.

Even if he didn't have a _wife,_ he had a _husband,_ her disregard of their importance made him _furious._ Hiroki meant the world to him. Without biological connections in his life, Hiroki turned into his _everything._ His late in-laws welcomed him in without issue and didn't sneer at his orphan status. This bright eyed woman didn't understand his life until that point.

He needed to tell Hiroki about this girl before someone else told him.

* * *

Nowaki's reservations disappeared when he told Hiroki about his stalker. As he set down the rare treat on their newly acquired low rise table, he looked at Hiroki's face. He expected anger, maybe even swearing, but Hiroki looked at him with furrowed brows. The reaction made him lose the tension in his shoulders.

He berated himself for his assumptions. After almost fifteen years together, Hiroki felt comfortable in their positions to where his insecurities were _nonexistent._ Nowaki's own reservations dimmed down to _nothing._ If they had concerns, they spoke about it and handled it before it became an issue.

Hiroki poured himself a cup of tea and set the tea pot in the middle of the table. Ever since Hiroki became acquaintances with the kitchen staff, he received little luxuries like fresh hot tea in an _actual_ tea pot. Nowaki wouldn't be surprised if Hiroki managed to snag the tea pot for the following winter.

Hiroki snorted into his warm cup of tea. _"Hmph._ You've been fucking me for _years,_ that little girl won't sway you away from me. If you were bored of me, I would be able to tell. Besides, I sucked your cock this morning before you went in for your hours."

Nowaki sighed in relief. "I thought you were going to be mad because I haven't managed to scare her away. I've tried _everything."_

Hiroki motioned Nowaki to sit down before serving him a cup of tea. "Spoiled girls are hard to shrug off. Her haughty mannerisms should have given the higher ups a clue of her _uselessness._ You know, she tried getting herself out of working in the kitchens?"

 _"Seriously?"_ Nowaki's eyes widened.

"Oh yeah. Kimiko was _pissed._ None of the kitchen staff fell for that girl's watery eyes and put her to peel potatoes. Someone overheard her plans in snagging a higher up man to impregnate her for her not to work." Hiroki rolled his eyes. "Her transparency will earn her no allies."

Nowaki slurped his tea. "What can I do? I keep overhearing the pressure of conceiving and-"

Hiroki said. "Ignore the girl. She is making a fool of herself and will gain the attention of the higher ups in her department. They don't tolerate lazy ass people. Besides, the old traditionists will die soon enough."

"Hiro-san!" Nowaki tried to sound scandalized, but his lips quirked into a smile.

Hiroki patted Nowaki's knee with an amused smile. "Don't be coy. You were thinking the same thing Nowaki." He finished his cup of tea before serving himself another cup. "She'll give up soon. She doesn't seem like the type to have the patience to wear you down."

* * *

It didn't take long for Nowaki to catch Yuriko in the arms of a water purifying worker. He didn't recognize the man so he assumed he came along with her group. Hiroki was right. She gave up on him. He let out the biggest sigh of relief and he lost the tension on his shoulders.

When he found Hiroki, he pushed him against a wall and made out with him. It wasn't a visible tongue and saliva sharing spectacle, but a touching of lips. Hiroki amused his little PDA spectacle until he broke the kiss.

Hiroki muttered into Nowaki's lips. "She gave up?"

Nowaki nodded with a beaming smile. "Yes."

"Excellent." Hiroki reached up and tugged a piece of Nowaki's hair. "Learn to reject people, Nowaki. You're too nice for your own good. You made it easy for her to pursue you."

Nowaki huffed. "Hiro-san, you know for a fact that if I acted rude she would of made a spectacle. I'm a doctor. I can't act behave horribly. Even if everyone here knows about us, her group doesn't know the fact we're gay."

Hiroki ruffled the back of Nowaki's neck and played with his hair. "I'm tempted to make out with you, but," He looked around Nowaki and noticed an unfamiliar face turning away in a rush. "We won't have to worry. Someone will tell them soon enough."

Nowaki kissed Hiroki again. "I don't have a shift for this afternoon."

"I checked my crops this morning."

Nowaki connected their foreheads together. "Do you want to take a walk outside? I found this amazing patch of soft grass we can lay down on."

"Hmm." Hiroki hummed. "Sure, sounds like a plan."

**The end.**


End file.
